PAU hosts global symposium on AI, cybersecurity, agribusiness futures

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, in collaboration with the Australia-India Hub for Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Innovation (AI Hub) and the Australia-India Cybersecurity Leaders Alliance, hosted the International Symposium on Digital Transformation and Agribusiness Challenges at the Dr Manmohan Singh Auditorium here today.

With digital partners Apni Kheti and AADVI, the symposium brought together visionary leaders, scholars, entrepreneurs, and students to explore the intersections of agribusiness, AI-driven transformation, and cybersecurity in an increasingly digital world.

The inaugural session set the tone for a day of insight, collaboration, and dialogue on emerging technological paradigms shaping India’s agricultural and business environment.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, highlighted the PAU’s sweeping digital transformation initiatives integrating artificial intelligence, drones, spectroscopy, robotics, omics, GIS, and IoT systems into every aspect of agriculture.

He spoke about real-time crop monitoring, precision fertigation, climate-responsive decision making, and omics-enabled breeding as essential cornerstones of the university’s technology-driven roadmap. Special emphasis was placed on the newly launched School of Digital Innovations for Smart Agriculture (S-DISA), funded jointly by the Punjab Government and PAU, as well as the government-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisation established to train rural youth in drone operations.

Dr Ramandeep Singh, Director, School of Business Studies (SBS), underlined that agribusiness stood at a defining moment, requiring integration of entrepreneurship, digital literacy, market intelligence, and sustainability. With an emphasis on enabling farmers and youth to become value creators, he highlighted SBS initiatives and ongoing efforts to strengthen the agribusiness ecosystem.

Dr Ramandeep emphasised the catalytic role of National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations – Technology Business Incubator (NIDHI-TBI) in promoting digital transformation. He shared how NIDHI-TBI supported agripreneurs with incubation facilities, venture guidance, market linkages, and access to advanced technologies including AI tools, digital marketing innovations, and smart agritech solutions. “NIDHI-TBI is enabling a new generation of entrepreneurs to blend agriculture with digital innovation, ensuring that PAU remains a national hub for technology-enabled agribusiness futures,” he said.

The highlight of the symposium was the keynote address by Dr Kamaljeet Sandhu, an internationally-renowned, multi-award-winning expert with nearly three decades of experience in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, fintech, data analytics, and digital enterprise innovations.

Dr Sandhu elaborated on global cybersecurity challenges in an era where data integrity and digital trust defined the strength of national economies. He shared insights from his pioneering Australian government-funded project on preventing and detecting cyber threats, highlighting its relevance to India’s expanding digital infrastructure, especially in agriculture, e-commerce, and rural markets.

He emphasised that AI was no longer a distant frontier but an active force transforming governance, supply chains, finance, and education. He asserted that digital transformation was not merely adoption of technology but was a mind-set shift that determined national competitiveness. Drawing from his international engagements, he underscored how collaborative Indo-Australian research could strengthen cybersecurity, accelerate AI adoption, and elevate agricultural productivity.

Dr Sandhu praised the PAU’s technological vision, calling it “an institution shaping India’s next wave of digital agricultural excellence.” His keynote blended deep expertise with practical insights, making it a valuable learning experience for students and professionals alike.

The afternoon session hosted a high-level round table scientific interaction coordinated by Dr Ramandeep Singh and Dr Navneet Kaur, bringing together researchers, faculty, and participants for thematic discussions on digital agriculture, cybersecurity, smart agribusiness models, and Indo-Australian collaborative prospects. The rapporteur’s session summarised the key insights from the deliberations, providing a roadmap for future academic and industry collaborations.